Factors affecting repeated sprint ability (RSA) were evaluated in a mixed-longitudinal sample of 48 elite basketball players 14 to 19 years of age (16.1±1.7 years). Players were observed on six occasions during the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons. Three basketball-specific field tests were administered on each occasion: the Shuttle Sprint Test (SST) for RSA, the Vertical Jump (VJ) for lower body explosive strength (power), and the Interval Shuttle Run Test (ISRT) for interval endurance capacity. Height and weight were measured; body composition was estimated (percent fat, lean body mass). Multilevel modeling of RSA development curve was used with 32 players (16.0±1.7 years) who had two or more observations. The 16 players (16.1±1.8 years) measured on only one occasion were used as a control group to evaluate the appropriateness of the model. Age, lower body explosive strength, and interval endurance capacity significantly contributed to RSA (p < .05). RSA improved with age from 14-17 years (p < .05) and reached a plateau at 17-19 years. Predicted RSA did not significantly differ from measured RSA in the control group (p > .05). The results suggest a potentially important role for the training of lower body explosive strength and interval endurance capacity in the development of RSA among youth basketball players. Age-specific reference values for RSA of youth players may assist basketball coaches in setting appropriate goals for individual players.
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In solving systemic design challenges designers co-create with professionals from various fields. In the context of innovation in healthcare practices, this study investigates design abilities that healthcare professionals develop by participating in co-design projects. We conducted a mixed-methods research approach consisting of five retrospective interviews with healthcare researchers involved in co-design projects, and a multiple case study (three cases) on the collaboration between design researchers and healthcare professionals. The three cases all aimed at designing tools for healthcare innovation. The cases differ in the healthcare context and the professionals involved: Paediatric physical therapists in the treatment of babies (0-2 years), supervisors (e.g. in assisted living) of people with intellectual disabilities, and academic researchers in social sciences and design research developing e-health applications for elderly people with early stages of dementia. Literature states that healthcare professionals may be competent in specific abilities related to design, but they are not trained to mode-shift and to use two different ways of working for creativity. We found that the healthcare professionals involved in co-design projects developed design ability over time, and that the research setting was supportive. Based on design abilities that the five healthcare researchers explicated in the interviews as having adopted, we suggest eight mode-shift practices related to design, which we investigated in the cases. Findings of the case-study show that two mode-shift practices related to design and innovation are difficult to adopt for healthcare professionals: Generate and synthesize; and keeping track on overview and details. These two design abilities require more training and/or experience than the other six design abilities that ran smoothly in the cases, if healthcare professionals were facilitated in the process. Healthcare professionals specifically relate two of these practices to design: Collaboration and slow down – sprint. This study discusses these findings by referring to an analogy of kayaking on a wild water river: The collaboration aspect of switching between working in a group and by yourself, like a group of kayakers who collaborate in going down stream a river but peddle by themselves in their own boats; the slowdown and sprint aspect, like kayakers who oversee the river in turning waters and sprint in between, rather than go with the flow in a raft.
Introduction: There is a lack of effective interventions available for Pediatric Physical Therapists (PPTs) to promote a physically active lifestyle in children with physical disabilities. Participatory design methods (co-design) may be helpful in generating insights and developing intervention prototypes for facilitating a physically active lifestyle in children with physical disabilities (6–12 years). Materials and methods: A multidisciplinary development team of designers, developers, and researchers engaged in a co-design process–together with parents, PPTs, and other relevant stakeholders (such as the Dutch Association of PPTs and care sports connectors). In this design process, the team developed prototypes for interventions during three co-creation sessions, four one-week design sprint, living-lab testing and two triangulation sessions. All available co-design data was structured and analyzed by three researchers independently resulting in themes for facilitating physical activity. Results: The data rendered two specific outcomes, (1) knowledge cards containing the insights collected during the co-design process, and (2) eleven intervention prototypes. Based on the generated insights, the following factors seem important when facilitating a physically active lifestyle: a) stimulating self-efficacy; b) stimulating autonomy; c) focusing on possibilities; d) focusing on the needs of the individual child; e) collaborating with stakeholders; f) connecting with a child's environment; and g) meaningful goal setting. Conclusion: This study shows how a co-design process can be successfully applied to generate insights and develop interventions in pediatric rehabilitation. The designed prototypes facilitate the incorporation of behavioral change techniques into pediatric rehabilitation and offer new opportunities to facilitate a physically active lifestyle in children with physical disabilities by PPTs. While promising, further studies should examine the feasibility and effectivity of these prototypes.
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De roep om duurzamer te produceren wordt steeds krachtiger. Aan de ene kant vanuit ecologische crises zoals de klimaatcrises en stikstofcrises maar aan de andere kant ook vanuit de grenzen van ons huidige systeem zoals energiecongestie op het net. Ook verscherpte wet- en regelgeving op Europees en landelijk niveau (CSRD, recyclingwetgeving enz) maken de urgentie groter. Het bedrijfsleven realiseert zich dit en wil of moet daarin stappen maken. De grote industriële spelers, in de Brainport regio (zoals ASML en Philips) zijn momenteel al steeds meer duurzaamheidsinformatie in de keten aan het vragen aan zijn leveranciers. Het MKB ziet deze vragen op zich af komen en probeert hier een antwoord op te vinden, maar het ontbreekt heel vaak aan de juiste en betrouwbare informatie. Daarnaast is de volgende stap om duurzamer te gaan produceren. Het MKB wil wel graag verduurzamen maar de vraag is waar te beginnen en hoe stap voor stap te verduurzamen. De insteek van dit project is juist om Alligator Plastics stap voor stap te ondersteunen bij dit vraagstuk. Bij Alligator Plastics is het startpunt de vraag vanuit de klanten naar een CO2-footprint en de wetgeving van het recyclen van kunststoffen. Een materialiteitsanalyse inclusief een aanpak gebaseerd op het sprint-principe, vormen de basis van het onderzoek. Kritische elementen in deze aanpak is om eerst inzicht te creëren op welke duurzaamheidsindicatoren het bedrijf impact wil en kan maken, waarna deze indicatoren meetbaar gemaakt worden. Dit vereist kennis van de betreffende duurzaamheidsindicator en vervolgens kan er op een gestructureerde wijze aan verbeterprojecten gewerkt worden. In dit project werken Fontys Bedrijfsmanagement, Educatie & Techniek en Bee-Sustainable samen met Alligator Plastics.
